The Campaign for Solar Austin is underway

March 10, 2003

Virtus Energy recently joined forces with local Austin activists to promote a campaign for Solar Austin. On March 12, 2003, Mike Sloan and others briefed Austin City Council candidates on the state of the solar industry and the role Austin could potentially play.

Solar energy, while the cleanest, quietest and most reliable form of energy, is not widely used in sun-rich Texas. A lack of state-wide support has focused our attention on local initiatives, especially in non-attainment or near non-attainment communities where air quality problems are about to become much more expensive. Texas faces potential federal sanctions for failing to develop strategies to clean the air. These sanctions include the loss of millions of federal highway dollars for Dallas-Ft. Worth and Houston.

Besides the environmental benefits, this grassroots effort looks at solar power as a potential economic development opportunity for Austin's capable high-tech community. A city commitment to solar would ensure a promising level of growth for the industry and build jobs and expertise locally. Producing clean energy within Austin – rather than dirtier energy outside of Austin with hundreds of millions of dollars in fuel expenses leaving the city annually – would create a very significant economic generator.

An early start by Austin in this young industry puts us ahead of the national curve in an energy source which is guaranteed to see rapid growth in the years to come.

Solar Austin Campaign poster

Letter sent to City Council Candidates (.pdf)

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